1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to suspension systems for vehicles and, more particularly to, an energy management jounce bumper assembly for use with a suspension system of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Suspension systems for vehicles typically use jounce bumpers to limit transmission of an impact force from tires to a frame member of the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle travels over a bump, components of the suspension system, such as a strut assembly, jounce or collapse to absorb energy generated by the impact. However, when the suspension system cannot completely dissipate the energy, the components of the suspension system may be damaged by the non-dissipated energy. For example, extra energy not absorbed can cause catastrophic failures to components of the suspension system such as shock tubes, shock towers, and/or shock mounts. Additionally, the impact force may be transferred to the frame member, which is not desirable. Therefore, there is a need in the art to increase the energy absorbing capabilities of the suspension system while meeting the size requirements of the vehicle manufacturer.